AARON m English, French, German, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אַהֲרֹן ('Aharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as
"high mountain" or
"exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of
Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would form the priesthood.
... [more] ADAM m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם ('adam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] AL m EnglishShort form of
ALBERT and other names beginning with
Al. A notable bearer is American actor Al Pacino (1940-).
ALAN m English, Scottish, Breton, FrenchThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either
"little rock" or
"handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.
... [more] ALEJANDRO m SpanishSpanish form of
ALEXANDER. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain from the 1990s until 2006 (and again in 2011).
ALEX m & f English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Czech, RussianShort form of
ALEXANDER,
ALEXANDRA, and other names beginning with
Alex.
ALICE f English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, CzechFrom the Old French name
Aalis, a short form of
Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis (see
ADELAIDE). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] ALISON f English, FrenchNorman French diminutive of
Aalis (see
ALICE). It was common in England, Scotland and France in the Middle Ages, and was later revived in England in the 20th century via Scotland. Unlike most other English names ending in
son, it is not derived from a surname.
ALVIN m English, SwedishFrom a medieval form of any of the Old English names
ÆLFWINE,
ÆÐELWINE or
EALDWINE. It was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the Old English names. As a Scandinavian name it is derived from
Alfvin, an Old Norse cognate of
Ælfwine.
AMBER f English, DutchFrom the English word
amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic
عنبر ('anbar). It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel
Forever Amber (1944).
AMY f EnglishEnglish form of the Old French name
Amée meaning
"beloved" (modern French
aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin
Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
ANDREW m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), which was derived from
ἀνδρεῖος (andreios) meaning
"manly, masculine", a derivative of
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In the New Testament the apostle Andrew, the first disciple to join
Jesus, is the brother of
Simon Peter. According to tradition, he later preached in the Black Sea region, with some legends saying he was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
Andrew, being a Greek name, was probably only a nickname or a translation of his real Hebrew name, which is not known.
... [more] ANDY m & f EnglishDiminutive of
ANDREW or sometimes
ANDREA (2). American pop artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was a famous bearer of this name.
ANGELA f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Slovak, Russian, Macedonian, Late RomanFeminine form of
Angelus (see
ANGEL). As an English name, it came into use in the 18th century.
ANN f English, ManxEnglish and Manx form of
ANNE (1). In the English-speaking world, both this spelling and
Anne have been used since the late Middle Ages. Currently
Ann is less popular than
Anne (and both are less popular than their relatives
Anna and
Hannah).
ANTHONY m EnglishEnglish form of the Roman family name
Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
... [more] ANTON m German, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, Croatian, Romanian, Estonian, Finnish, EnglishForm of
Antonius (see
ANTHONY) used in various languages.
APRIL f EnglishFrom the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin
aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.
ARTEMIS f Greek Mythology, GreekMeaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek
ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning
"safe" or
ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning
"a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of
Apollo and the daughter of
Zeus and
Leto. She was known as
Diana to the Romans.
BARBARA f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late RomanDerived from Greek
βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning
"foreign". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.
BERTRAM m English, German, Ancient GermanicMeans
"bright raven", derived from the Germanic element
beraht "bright" combined with
hramn "raven". The Normans introduced this name to England. Shakespeare used it in his play
All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
BILL m EnglishShort form of
WILLIAM. This spelling was first used in the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-).
BLAKE m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" or
blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827).
BOB m English, DutchShort form of
ROBERT. It arose later than
Dob,
Hob and
Nob, which were medieval rhyming nicknames of Robert. It was borne by the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel
A Christmas Carol (1843). Other famous bearers include American folk musician Bob Dylan (1941-) and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
BONNIE f EnglishMeans
"pretty" from the Scottish word
bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French
bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie
Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
BRAD m EnglishShort form of
BRADLEY,
BRADFORD, and other names beginning with
Brad. A famous bearer is American actor Brad Pitt (1963-).
BRENT m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally taken from various place names, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning
"hill".
BRIAN m English, Irish, Ancient IrishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain but it is possibly related to the old Celtic element
bre meaning
"hill", or by extension
"high, noble". It was borne by the semi-legendary Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. The name was common in Ireland before his time, and even more so afterwards. It came into use in England in the Middle Ages, introduced by Breton settlers. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.
BRIDGET f Irish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid meaning
"exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
BURTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning
"fortified town". A famous bearer of the surname was Sir Richard Burton (1821-1890), an explorer of Africa and Asia.
BUZ m BiblicalMeans
"contempt" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
ABRAHAM's brother
Nahor in the Old Testament.
BYRON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"place of the cow sheds" in Old English. This was the surname of the romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), the writer of
Don Juan and many other works.
CAMPBELL m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked mouth" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
béul "mouth".
CARL m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishGerman form of
CHARLES. Two noteworthy bearers of the name were the German mathematician Carl Gauss (1777-1855), who made contributions to number theory and algebra as well as physics and astronomy, and the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology. It was imported to America in the 19th century by German immigrants.
CAROL (1) f & m EnglishShort form of
CAROLINE. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from
CAROLUS. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
CASEY m & f English, IrishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Cathasaigh meaning
"descendant of CATHASACH". This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case,
Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
CHARLIE m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
CHARLES. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
CHARLOTTE f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrench feminine diminutive of
CHARLES. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of
Jane Eyre and
Villette.
... [more] CHASE m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
CHER f EnglishShort form of
CHERYL. In the case of the American musician Cher (1946-), it is short for her real name
CHERILYN.
CHRISTOPHER m EnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning
"bearing CHRIST", derived from
Χριστός (Christos) combined with
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] CHUCK m EnglishDiminutive of
CHARLES. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.
CLARK m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"cleric" or
"scribe", from Old English
clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. It was also borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960).
CLAYTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning
"clay settlement" in Old English.
CLIVE m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"cliff" in Old English, originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.
CLYDE m EnglishFrom the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, from Cumbric
Clud, which is of uncertain origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
COCO f VariousDiminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.
CONCEPCIÓN f SpanishMeans
"conception" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary. A city in Chile bears this name.
CRAIG m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
creag meaning
"crag" or
"rocks", originally indicating a person who lived near a crag.
CURTIS m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally meant
"courteous" in Old French.
DALE m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
DANA (2) m & f EnglishFrom a surname that originally belonged to a person who was Danish. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana (1815-1882), the author of
Two Years Before the Mast.
DANIEL m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] DANIELLE f French, EnglishFrench feminine form of
DANIEL. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
DEIRDRE f English, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the older Gaelic form
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from Old Irish
der meaning
"daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobhar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] DEREK m EnglishFrom the older English name
Dederick, which was in origin a Low German form of
THEODORIC. It was imported to England from the Low Countries in the 15th century.
DESMOND m English, IrishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
Deasmhumhain meaning
"South Munster", originally indicating a person who came from that region in Ireland.
DONALD m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Domhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the old Celtic elements
dumno "world" and
val "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001).
DONNA f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
DONALD.
DORIS f English, German, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the Greek name
Δωρίς (Doris), which meant
"Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
EDWARD m English, PolishMeans
"rich guard", derived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.
... [more] EDWIN m English, DutchMeans
"rich friend", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
EILEEN f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of
EIBHLÍN. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of
HELEN. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.
ELAINE f English, Arthurian RomanceFrom an Old French form of
HELEN. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation
Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of
Lancelot, and the mother of
Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the appearance of Tennyson's Arthurian epic
Idylls of the King (1859).
ELEANOR f EnglishFrom the Old French form of the Occitan name
Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named
Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase
alia Aenor "the other AENOR" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.
... [more] ELI (1) m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewMeans
"ascension" in Hebrew. In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young
Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.
... [more] ELIAS m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekForm of
ELIJAH used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.
ELLEN (1) f EnglishMedieval English form of
HELEN. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form
Helen also became common.
ELTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"Ella's town" in Old English. A famous bearer of this name is British musician Elton John (1947-), born Reginald Dwight, who adopted his stage name in honour of his former bandmate Elton Dean (1945-2006).
EMMA f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element
ermen meaning
"whole" or
"universal". It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called
Hemma.
... [more] ETHAN m English, French, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אֵיתָן ('Eitan) meaning
"solid, enduring, firm". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a few minor characters, including the wise man Ethan the Ezrahite, supposedly the author of Psalm 89.
... [more] EVA f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic, Biblical LatinForm of
EVE used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while
Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. The name appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.
... [more] FELIX m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom a Roman cognomen meaning
"lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint
Paul.
... [more] FIONA f Scottish, EnglishFeminine form of
FIONN. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem
Fingal (1762), in which it is spelled as
Fióna.
FRANK m English, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from the name of a type of spear that they used. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of
Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of
Francis or
Franklin.
... [more] GARY m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
ger meaning
"spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born.
GAVIN m English, ScottishMedieval form of
GAWAIN. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.
GEORGE m English, RomanianFrom the Greek name
Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργός (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and
ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Palestine who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] GEORGIA f English, GreekLatinate feminine form of
GEORGE. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
GERALD m English, GermanFrom a Germanic name meaning
"rule of the spear", from the elements
ger meaning "spear" and
wald meaning "rule". The Normans brought this name to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.
GILLIAN f EnglishMedieval English feminine form of
JULIAN. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from
Julian until the 17th century.
GINO m ItalianItalian short form of names ending in
gino.
GLENN m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
gleann "valley". A famous bearer of the surname was American astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016).
GRACE f EnglishFrom the English word
grace, which ultimately derives from Latin
gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.
HANK m EnglishOriginally a short form of
Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of
JOHN. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of
HENRY, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive
HENK. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-).
HARRY m EnglishMedieval English form of
HENRY. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both
Henry and
HAROLD. A famous bearer was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's
Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
HECTOR m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian RomanceLatinized form of Greek
Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from
ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning
"holding fast", ultimately from
ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed
Achilles' friend
Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King
Arthur's foster father.
... [more] HEIDI f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, EnglishGerman diminutive of
ADELHEID. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel
Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
HELENA f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinate form of
HELEN.
HENRY m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Heimirich meaning
"home ruler", composed of the elements
heim "home" and
ric "ruler". It was later commonly spelled
Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like
Haganrich, in which the first element is
hagan "enclosure".
... [more] HONEY f English (Rare)Simply from the English word
honey, ultimately from Old English
hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.
IONE f Greek Mythology, EnglishFrom Ancient Greek
ἴον (ion) meaning
"violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name
Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
IRA (1) m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans
"watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King
David's priest. As an English Christian given name,
Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
ISAAC m English, Spanish, Catalan, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
יִצְחָק (Yitzchaq) meaning
"he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from
צָחַק (tzachaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that
Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife
Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see
Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see
Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of
Esau and
Jacob with his wife
Rebecca.
... [more] IVY f EnglishFrom the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English
ifig.
JACK m EnglishDerived from
Jackin (earlier
Jankin), a medieval diminutive of
JOHN. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man". It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as
Jack and the Beanstalk,
Little Jack Horner, and
Jack Sprat.
... [more] JACKSON m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of JACK". A famous bearer of the surname was American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).
JAMES m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form
Iacobus, from the Hebrew name
Ya'aqov (see
JACOB). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle
John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of
Jesus.
... [more] JAMIE m & f Scottish, EnglishOriginally a Lowland Scots diminutive of
JAMES. Since the late 19th century it has also been used as a feminine form.
JARED m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יָרֶד (Yared) or
יֶרֶד (Yered) meaning
"descent". This is the name of a close descendant of
Adam in the Old Testament. It has been used as an English name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popularized in the 1960s by the character Jarrod Barkley on the television series
The Big Valley.
JASON m English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning
"healer", derived from Greek
ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father
Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress
Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.
... [more] JASPER m English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian LegendFrom Latin
Gaspar, perhaps from the biblical Hebrew word
גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning
"treasurer", derived from Persian
ganzabara. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn
Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.
JAY (1) m EnglishShort form of names beginning with the sound
J, such as
JAMES or
JASON. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.
JEAN (2) f English, ScottishMedieval English variant of
Jehanne (see
JANE). It was common in England and Scotland during the Middle Ages, but eventually became rare in England. It was reintroduced to the English-speaking world from Scotland in the 19th century.
JENNIFER f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, SpanishFrom a Cornish form of the Welsh name
Gwenhwyfar (see
GUINEVERE). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play
The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.
... [more] JIMMY m EnglishDiminutive of
JAMES. This was the usual name of American actor James Stewart (1908-1997).
JOAN (1) f EnglishMedieval English form of
Johanne, an Old French form of
Iohanna (see
JOANNA). This was the usual English feminine form of
John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by
Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.
... [more] JOE m EnglishShort form of
JOSEPH. Five famous sports figures who have had this name are boxers Joe Louis (1914-1981) and Joe Frazier (1944-), baseball player Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999), and football quarterbacks Joe Namath (1943-) and Joe Montana (1956-).
JOHN m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, BiblicalEnglish form of
Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name
יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning
"YAHWEH is gracious", from the roots
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and
חָנַן (chanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled
Johanan or
Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of
Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by
Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles
Peter and
James (his brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.
... [more] JORDAN m & f English, French, Macedonian, SerbianFrom the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yarad) meaning
"descend" or
"flow down". In the New Testament
John the Baptist baptizes
Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Germanic name
JORDANES, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.
... [more] JOSEPH m English, French, German, BiblicalFrom
Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek
Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name
יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning
"he will add", from the root
יָסַף (yasaf). In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of
Jacob and the first with his wife
Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of
Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.
... [more] JOYCE f & m EnglishFrom the medieval masculine name
Josse, which was derived from the earlier
Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name
Judoc meaning
"lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word
joise "to rejoice". This given name also formed the basis for a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
JUDITH f English, Jewish, French, German, Spanish, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוּדִית (Yehudit) meaning
"Jewish woman", feminine of
יְהוּדִי (yehudi), ultimately referring to a person from the tribe of
Judah. In the Old Testament Judith is one of the Hittite wives of
Esau. This is also the name of the main character of the apocryphal Book of Judith. She killed Holofernes, an invading Assyrian commander, by beheading him in his sleep.
... [more] JUDY f EnglishDiminutive of
JUDITH. A well-known bearer of this name was the American singer and actress Judy Garland (1922-1969).
JULIAN m English, Polish, GermanFrom the Roman name
Iulianus, which was derived from
JULIUS. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from
Juliana, eventually becoming
Gillian).
JULIE f French, Danish, Norwegian, Czech, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, PortugueseFrench, Danish, Norwegian and Czech form of
JULIA. It has spread to many other regions as well. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the early 20th century.
JULIUS m Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, CzechFrom a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek
ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning
"downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god
JUPITER. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of
Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.
... [more] JUSTIN m English, French, SloveneFrom the Latin name
Iustinus, which was derived from
JUSTUS. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the late Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 20th century. Famous modern bearers include pop stars Justin Timberlake (1981-) and Justin Bieber (1994-).
KATHERINE f EnglishFrom the Greek name
Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name
Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from
ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning
"each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess
HECATE; it could be related to Greek
αἰκία (aikia) meaning
"torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning
"my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek
καθαρός (katharos) meaning
"pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from
Katerina to
Katharina to reflect this.
... [more] KEITH m English, ScottishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name, itself probably derived from the Brythonic element
cet meaning
"wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
KEVIN m English, Irish, French (Modern), German (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern), Danish (Modern)Anglicized form of the Irish name
Caoimhín meaning
"handsome birth", derived from the older
Cóemgein, composed of the Old Irish elements
cóem "kind, gentle, handsome" and
gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin. It became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the middle of the 20th century, and elsewhere in Europe in the late 20th century.
KIM (1) f & m EnglishAt the present it is usually considered a short form of
KIMBERLY, but it in fact predates it as a given name. The author Rudyard Kipling used it for the title hero of his novel
Kim (1901), though in this case it was short for
KIMBALL. In her novel
Show Boat (1926) Edna Ferber used it for a female character who was born on the Mississippi River and was named from the initials of the states Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi. The name was popularized in America by the actresses Kim Hunter (1922-2002) and Kim Novak (1933-), both of whom assumed it as a stage name.
KIRK m EnglishFrom an English and Scottish surname meaning
"church" from Old Norse
kirkja, ultimately from Greek. A famous bearer was American actor Kirk Douglas (1916-), whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch.
KURT m German, EnglishGerman contracted form of
CONRAD. A famous bearer was the American musician Kurt Cobain (1967-1994).
LAWRENCE m EnglishVariant of
LAURENCE (1). This spelling of the name is now more common than
Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because
Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
LENORE f EnglishShort form of
ELEANOR. This was the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem
The Raven (1845).
LEO m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Croatian, Late RomanDerived from Latin
leo meaning
"lion", a cognate of
LEON. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), a Russian novelist whose works include
War and Peace and
Anna Karenina. Leo is also the name of a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.
LEONARD m English, Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, Ancient GermanicMeans
"brave lion", derived from the Germanic elements
lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and
hard "brave, hardy". This was the name of a 5th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.
LINCOLN m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from the name of a city in England, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
LINDA f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Ancient GermanicOriginally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element
lind meaning
"flexible, soft, mild". It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word
linda meaning
"beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
LIZ f EnglishShort form of
ELIZABETH. This is the familiar name of actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-).
LOIS (1) f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly derived from Greek
λωίων (loion) meaning
"more desirable" or
"better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of
Eunice and the grandmother of
Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
LORRAINE f EnglishFrom the name of a region in France, originally meaning "kingdom of
LOTHAR". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of
Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called
Lorraine, or in German
Lothringen (from Latin
Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with
Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
LOUIS m French, English, DutchFrench form of
Ludovicus, the Latinized form of
LUDWIG. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of
Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as
Ludwig), Hungary (as
Lajos), and other places.
... [more] LUKE m English, BiblicalEnglish form of Latin
Lucas, from the Greek name
Λουκᾶς (Loukas) meaning
"from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy (of uncertain meaning). Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle
Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.
... [more] LYLE m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
l'isle "island".
LYNETTE f EnglishForm of
LUNED used by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his 1872 poem
Gareth and Lynette. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of
LYNN.
MADISON f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of MAUD". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie
Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.
... [more] MAGNUS m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after
Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name
Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
MALCOLM m Scottish, EnglishFrom Scottish Gaelic
Máel Coluim, which means
"disciple of Saint COLUMBA". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had murdered his father. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy
Macbeth (1606) is based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
MARCUS m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishRoman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god
MARS. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form
Mark has been more common.
MARGARET f EnglishDerived from Latin
Margarita, which was from Greek
μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning
"pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.
... [more] MARILYN f EnglishCombination of
MARY and
lyn. It has been used since the start of the 20th century. A famous bearer was the American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).
MARIO m Italian, Spanish, German, CroatianItalian and Spanish form of
MARIUS. Famous bearers include American racecar driver Mario Andretti (1940-) and Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux (1965-).
MARION (2) m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
MARION (1). This was the real name of American actor John Wayne (1907-1979), who was born Marion Robert Morrison.
MARK m English, Russian, Dutch, Danish, BiblicalForm of Latin
MARCUS used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages,
Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form
Marcus.
... [more] MARTA f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, Swedish, Icelandic, Latvian, GeorgianForm of
MARTHA used in various languages.
MARTIN m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, FinnishFrom the Roman name
Martinus, which was derived from
Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god
MARS. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.
... [more] MARTINA f German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Hungarian, English, Swedish, Dutch, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Martinus (see
MARTIN). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.
MARVIN m English, GermanProbably from an English surname that was derived from the given name
MERVYN. A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
MARY f English, BiblicalUsual English form of
Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names
Μαριάμ (Mariam) and
Μαρία (Maria) - the spellings are interchangeable - which were from Hebrew
מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of
Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including
"sea of bitterness",
"rebelliousness", and
"wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from
mry "beloved" or
mr "love".
... [more] MATTHEW m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Ματθαῖος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name
מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) meaning
"gift of YAHWEH", from the roots
מַתָּן (mattan) meaning "gift" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Matthew, also called
Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. He was a tax collector, and supposedly the author of the first gospel in the New Testament. He is considered a saint in many Christian traditions. The variant
Matthias also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a separate apostle. The name appears in the Old Testament as
Mattithiah.
... [more] MELANIE f English, German, DutchFrom
Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name
Melania, derived from Greek
μέλαινα (melaina) meaning
"black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.
... [more] MICHAEL m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning
"who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.
... [more] MICHELLE f French, English, DutchFrench feminine form of
MICHEL. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
MILO m English, Ancient GermanicOld Germanic form of
MILES, as well as the Latinized form. This form of the name was used in official documents during the Middle Ages, and it has been used independently since the 19th century.
MITCHELL m EnglishFrom a surname, itself derived from the given name
MICHAEL or in some cases from Middle English
michel meaning "big, large".
MOLLY f EnglishDiminutive of
MARY. It developed from
Malle and
Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel
Ulysses (1920), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
MONA (1) f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of
MUADHNAIT. It is also associated with Greek
monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the
Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian
ma donna meaning "my lady").
MONET f & m VariousFrom a French surname that was derived from either
HAMON or
EDMOND. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
MORGAN (1) m & f Welsh, English, FrenchFrom the Old Welsh masculine name
Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh
mor "sea" and
cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America
Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of
Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
MYRTLE f EnglishSimply from the English word
myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek
μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
NANCY f EnglishPreviously a medieval diminutive of
ANNIS, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of
ANN. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.
NAOMI (1) f English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נָעֳמִי (Na'omi) meaning
"pleasantness". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of
Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be
Mara (see
Ruth 1:20).
... [more] NAOMI (2) f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
直 (nao) meaning "straight" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" (usually feminine) or
己 (mi) meaning "self" (usually masculine). Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
NED m EnglishDiminutive of
EDWARD or
EDMUND. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase
mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as
my Ned.
NEIL m Irish, Scottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly meaning
"champion" or
"cloud". This was the name of a semi-legendary 4th-century Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages.
... [more] NESTOR m Greek Mythology, RussianMeans
"returner, homecomer" in Greek, from
νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In
Homer's
Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
NICHOLAS m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Νικόλαος (Nikolaos) meaning
"victory of the people", derived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
λαός (laos) meaning "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch
Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.
... [more] NICOLE f French, English, Dutch, GermanFrench feminine form of
NICHOLAS, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
NOAH (1) m English, German, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נֹחַ (Noach) meaning
"rest, repose", derived from the root
נוּחַ (nuach). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of
Shem,
Ham and
Japheth.
... [more] NORMAN m English, Ancient GermanicFrom an old Germanic byname meaning
"northman", referring to a Viking. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name
Norman or
Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel
The Daisy Chain.
OLIVIA f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishThis name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on
OLIVA or
OLIVER, or directly from the Latin word
oliva meaning
"olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario.
... [more] PAMELA f EnglishThis name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney for use in his poem
Arcadia. He possibly intended it to mean
"all sweetness" from Greek
πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and
μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
PAOLO m ItalianItalian form of
Paulus (see
PAUL). Paolo Uccello and Paolo Veronese were both Italian Renaissance painters.
PAT m & f EnglishShort form of
PATRICK or
PATRICIA. A famous bearer of this name was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
PATRICK m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, SwedishFrom the Latin name
Patricius, which meant
"nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint.
... [more] PATTY f EnglishOriginally a variant of
Matty, a 17th-century diminutive of
MARTHA. It is now commonly used as a diminutive of
PATRICIA.
PAUL m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, BiblicalFrom the Roman family name
Paulus, which meant
"small" or
"humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected
Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was
Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.
... [more] PAULA f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Paulus (see
PAUL). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint
Jerome.
PEGGY f EnglishMedieval variant of
Meggy, a diminutive of
MARGARET. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
PETER m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Slovene, Slovak, BiblicalDerived from Greek
Πέτρος (Petros) meaning
"stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name
Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle
Simon by
Jesus (compare
Matthew 16:18 and
John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.
... [more] PHIL m EnglishShort form of
PHILIP and various other names beginning with
Phil, often a Greek element meaning "friend, dear, beloved".
PHYLLIS f Greek Mythology, English, GermanMeans
"foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with
Felicia.
PING m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
平 (píng) meaning "level, even, peaceful". Other characters can also form this name.
POLLY f EnglishMedieval variant of
MOLLY. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
RAINBOW f English (Rare)From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.
RALPH m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanContracted form of the Old Norse name
RÁÐÚLFR (or its Norman form
Radulf). Scandinavian settlers introduced it to England before the Norman Conquest, though afterwards it was bolstered by Norman influence. In the Middle Ages it was usually spelled
Ralf, but by the 17th century it was most commonly
Rafe, reflecting the normal pronunciation. The
Ralph spelling appeared in the 18th century. A famous bearer of the name was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet and author who wrote on transcendentalism.
RAMONA f Spanish, Romanian, EnglishFeminine form of
RAMÓN. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Helen Hunt Jackson's novel
Ramona (1884), as well as several subsequent movies based on the book.
REUBEN m Biblical, Hebrew, EnglishMeans
"behold, a son" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of
Jacob and
Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine
Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.
REX m EnglishFrom Latin
rex meaning
"king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
RHONDA f EnglishProbably intended to mean "good spear" from Welsh
rhon "spear" and
da "good", but possibly influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales, which means "noisy". It has been in use only since the 20th century. Its use may have been partially inspired by Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956), a British feminist.
RICHARD m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Ancient GermanicMeans
"brave ruler", derived from the Germanic elements
ric "ruler, mighty" and
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade in the 12th century.
... [more] RITA f Italian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Hungarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latvian, LithuanianShort form of
MARGHERITA and other names ending in
rita. A famous bearer was American actress Rita Hayworth (1918-1987).